Topic 8 : PARAGRAPH WRITINGS

Topic Sentences for Paragraphs

A paragraph is a sequence of sentences that cooperate in supporting one main point.
Sometimes that point is so obvious that it doesn't need to be stated, but often a
paragraph begins with a topic sentence that states the main point directly. Before you
can write a topic sentence, you must decide what you want to say and what you don't
want to say in your paragraph. In other words, you must first explore your starting topic
and then select your limited topic. The next step is to make a statement about the
limited topic. Keep these points in mind:
A starting topic is usually broad, stimulating many ideas.
A limited topic is narrow, connecting a few selected ideas.
A topic sentence makes a statement about the limited topic.
For example, study this progression:

Starting topic: Football
Limited topic: The role that football has played in my education
Topic sentence: If it hadn't been for football, I might never have taken school seriously.
Note: A topic sentence is always a complete sentence expressing an idea about the
limited topic. It is not a title (What football means to me), or an explanation of the writer's
plan (I am going to tell you about the role football played in my education.) The more
clearly it focuses the reader's attention on the points covered by the paragraph that the
writer wants to make, the better.

Exercise A: For each limited topic below, select the two items that could serve as topic
sentences.

Limited topic: how to train a cat.

This paragraph is about how to train a cat.
Before a cat learns anything, it first teaches its owner a lesson in humility.
Everything you wouldn't have thought to ask about training a cat.
Training a cat takes physical stamina.
Animal training is a complicated subject.
Limited topic: changes in patients as they settle into convalescent homes

Americans are learning how to grow old gracefully.
The outside world seems to shrink when seen through the window of a convalescent
home.
Closing up a home and moving to a small room can make even an extrovert turn
inward.
It is important to look at the changes in patients' attitudes as they settle into
convalescent homes.
The increasing delight in daily conversation as patients become accustomed to life in a
convalescent home.
Limited topic: scuba diving

The excitement of scuba diving.
My childhood fascination with scuba diving.
It is very interesting to experience scuba diving.
The sport of scuba diving has always excited me.
Since I was a child, I've been fascinated by scuba diving.


Notice that choosing a topic sentence helps to focus the topic still further. Using the
same cluster of ideas, the student writing about the role football played in his education
could have chosen one of these several topic sentences instead:
My high school football coach transformed a sport into a powerful mental discipline.
The lessons I learned from playing high school football prepared me for the challenges
of college.
If it hadn't been for football, I might never have taken school seriously.
Each sentence declares a slightly different role that football played in this student's
education and alerts the reader to a different focus in the paragraph. Therefore, the
topic sentence acts as a tool for organizing the rest of the paragraph.

Exercise B: Below are three sets of notes for developing the topic, the role football
played in my education. For each one, select which topic sentence will fit the completed
paragraph. Choose a, b, or c from the list above.

concentration to learn plays
discipline to follow through
flexibility when plan fails
college classes painful at first
college pressure like my JV year in HS

distractions from high schoolsocial life, job, being cool
best friends dropped out
team solidarity, support, tutoring
State Championship goal, whole school cared
coach insisted on better than C average

coach's weird warm-up exercises
visualizing ways to overcome hardship
insistence on accuracy
team meditations
application of problem-solving tricks in daily life
Supporting Details
Definition
Supporting details provide the information that supports the topic sentence in a
paragraph. You can create supporting details with descriptions, examples, reasons,
explanations, and comparisons.

What Sort Of Details?
The details you use to support your topic sentences depend somewhat on the
development strategy (persuasive, compare/contrast, narrative, expository, etc.) you're
using. Are you writing a narrative or descriptive essay? Make your paragraphs come
alive with details. An argumentation essay? Use plenty of facts and evidence. You may
end up combining several of the following types of supporting details:

Description
Descriptive details will expand on the main idea in your topic sentence. Describe the
colors, smells, textures and size of things. If your topic sentence claims that a fire was
particularly damaging, you would include the color and size of the flames and the
smoke, the smell of burning materials, etc. Description can include emotional details as
well. Describe your feelings or the feelings others described.

Examples
Examples support topic sentences like evidence supports an argument. If you say that
your car is in disrepair, give some examples. Is the engine barely running? Does it burn
oil? Or, are you referring to the interior with exposed springs? Examples can also be
shown with an anecdote, which are brief stories that illustrate the main idea in your topic
sentence.

Compare/Contrast
Let's say you're writing a compare/contrast essay about two brands of e-book readers. If
your topic sentence says that one has an easy-to-read home page, you might discuss
the font sizes and screen colors, and follow with what's lacking on the other brand's
home page. If your topic sentence states that they're similar in many ways, be sure to
show the 'many' ways,not just one or two.

Reasons
Use reasons to support your opinions. If your main idea is about places to do
homework, and you have a topic sentence stating that you feel comfortable in a
particular coffee shop, include the reasons. Is it the lighting? The music? Also, if you
dislike something, be prepared to include the reasons if you want your claim to be
effective.
Cohesive Devices
Coherence refers to the linking of ideas in a logical sequence or order. Cohesion refers
to the organization of sentences and ideas in your essay working together as a whole
within their paragraphs. They hold together by cohesive devices (transitional words and
expressions). This makes it very easy for the reader to follow your presentation of
information in the essay. They dont get lost or confused. Did you write in clear
paragraphs that are organized around central ideas? Its like listening to a story thats
smooth and easy to follow.

Here are some useful transitional/linking words and phrases to use to show the different
relationships between your ideas and sentences:

ADDITION:

also, again, in addition, additionally, furthermore, further, moreover, as well as, whats
more, besides this/that,
CONTRAST (show two things are different):

on the other hand, however, despite this, conversely, in contrast, on the contrary,
although, while, though, compared with, in comparison with, rather, whereas, but,
instead of, in spite of, still, nevertheless, regardless, otherwise
COMPARE (show two things are similar/alike):

likewise, similarly, also, in the same way, in comparison to
SEQUENCE:

first, second (etc.), to begin with, initially, at first, then, next, from there, and then,
following this, finally, lastly
EXAMPLES:

for example, for instance, a good example of this is, such as, to illustrate, in particular,
particularly, namely, specifically
CONSEQUENCE:

therefore, as a result, thus, so, consequently, admittedly, so that, depending on
EMPHASIS/CERTAINTY:

indeed, certainly, in fact, of course, undoubtedly, plainly, obviously
CONDITION:

if. . . then, unless, whether, provided that,
SUMMARY:

in summary, in conclusion, overall, in short, in brief, to sum up, in other words, all in all,
to put it differently, to summarize, on the whole,
REASON:

because, since, as, so, due to, owing to, the reason why
CONCESSION (accepting/acknowledging something is true):

granted, naturally, of course
This is not a complete list and of course, many words can link ideas in different ways
depending on how they are used.

*NOTE: Its important to not overuse so many linking words in your essays because it
makes it even more difficult to read, rather than making it smooth and easy to read. So
choose a few carefully when you write and make sure you dont overuse these phrases.